Feeding sheets



March 25 1924. 1l,48 7,8111

E. S. SAVAGE FEEDING SHEETS I Filed 001', 2 6 f 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 5.7 7 d .77 6 i g 6 57 H] 41 55 1 H Hll j m a Z INVENTOR.

M ATTORNEYS.

March 25 1924. 11,487,811

E. s. SAVAGE FEEDING'SHEETS Filed Oct. 26, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ward/14.? 1 l QM INVENTOR. BY 2 6 ATTORNEYS.

March 25 1924, 11,487,811

E. s. SAVAGE FEEDING SHEET 5 Filed Oct. 26, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 25, 1924?. i

EDWARD S. SAVAGE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FEEDING SHEETS.

Application filed October 26, 1921. Serial No. 510,527.

- To all whom it may concern:

' citizen of the United States, and resident of Be it known that I, EDWARD S. SAVAGE, a

ing device employing one or more magnets whose lines of force are confined to the indrvidual sheet being picked from the others of a stack, pile or the like so that the adjacent sheets will not 'be; lifted by the picking magnets. Another object of the invention is to provide. a gang of picking magnets, so mounted, that they cooperate simultaneously with the surface'of a sheet notwithstanding slight unevenness in the sheet. Still another object of the invention is to provide a gang Y of picking magnets which have relative movement to cooperate simultaneously with a sheet, provision'being-made by which the magnets are reset or restored to normal positions. after the sheet is freed from the magnets. Still another object of the invention is to provide in connection with a pick ing means, a. magnetic stripping means which will move a sheet fromwthe-picking means and sustain the sheet for movement to a suitable receiver. Another and still further object. of the invention is to associate with the stripping magnets, a push-off device which will push the sheet from the stripping magnets to a suitable receiver.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of part s, all of which will behereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a fragmentary of a machine embodying the present invention:

Fig. 2 shows in elevation another side-of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig; 3 is a sectional view onthe line 3-3, Fig. 4, showing the picking means moved away from the resetting means;

view in elevation Fig. 4 is a view in section showing the picking means and the magnetic stripping means associated therewith, the picking means being illustrated in its uppermost positlon;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the picking means \v1th all of the picking magnets removed except one;

Fi g. 6 is a view in side elevation of the picking means;

Figs. 7 and 8 are two side views at right angles to each other of another embodiment of the picking magnets; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the manner in which the lines of force are concentrated in a. single sheet.

It is apparent that the invention is not limited to the type of machine herein illustrated and that certain features of the invention are capable of being embodied in machines of any type where it is desired to separate one at a time metallic sheets lying in abutment. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the sheets 1 are supported in abutment in a stack or pile upon a support 2 which is in the, form of a shelf having a rear wall 3 secured by bolts 4 to the lower wall of. the receiver 5, the latter having a side entrance way in which the sheets 1 may be inserted, suitable means (not shown) being employed for feeding the sheets longitudinally in said receiver.

, The picking means in this embodiment comprises two heads 6 each supporting a plurality of relativelyv movable magnets 7 and having for this purpose a number of chambers or compartments 8 in which the magnets are mounted, the magnets being preferably held in the chambers by frictional retaining devices 9 in the form of projections on spring arms 10, which are anchored at 11 to the head, these frictional retaining devices engaging the magnets and holding them frictionally against a surface 12 formed in the chambers, thus permitting the magnets to move longitudinally, and in the chambers. The magnets may also be adapted to rock or swing laterally in the chambers, and to'this end, fulcrum ribs 13 are provided on two other opposite walls of the chambers to engage the two other opposite sides of the magnets. It will be seen that by this arrangement that the magnets arenot only adapted to move relatively to each other but, at the same time,

they have an individual making movement which permits their pole pieces to adapt themselves to the surface of a sheet of of the magnets.

The magnets are of novel construction being formed so thatthe effective lifting lines of force are concentrated and confined to the sheet with which the magnet engages.

This result is secured, in this instance, by employing a magnet, permanent or otherwise, of U shape form and providing pole pieces 14 on said magnet of novel construc- These pole pieces may, as shown in tion. Fig. 3, be integral with the body of the magnet, or as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, be in separate pieces secured by screws 14* to the body of the magnets 7. The pole pieces are reduced to provide parallel elongated engaging faces, one dimension of each face being very small. The pole, pieces are deflected toward each other to provide a small gap 15 and a piece 15 is interposed between the arms of the magnet and extends'into this gap, this piece being made of nonmagnetic material, such as brass, and serving to support the reduced pole pieces 14. The pole pieces and the gap are so formed that the effective lifting force of the mag netic field between them will not extend materially beyond the thickness of a single metallic sheet 1 and, in this way, only one of the sheets will be materially affected by the magnet at one time. The rocking movement of the magnet is transverse of the smaller dimensions of the engaging faces of the pole pieces so that the enga ing faces of a magnet may accommodate t emselves to-the surface of the sheet. The up and down movement of the magnets relatively to the head prevents any one magnet interfering with the engagement of the sheet by the other magnets. Y

The heads 6 are, in this instance, supported for movement toward and from the stack of sheets 1 by means of plungers 16 and inv order to still further permit the proper cooperation betwleen the magnets and the sheet these heads each have a uni-' to a gear 22 by means of bolts 23 operating in slots 24 in the disk; This diskin turn is connected by a link 25 pivoted thereto at 26 and also pivoted at'27 to one arm of a double arm lever 28 which rocks about the axis 29. The other arm of this double arm lever is, through a link 30, connected to a bar 31, which connects with plungers I link 30 and a spring pressing collar 34 bearing against the other side. It is apparent that the heads 6 with the picking devices will move toward the stack of sheets 1 and that the movement in the opposite direction will be effected by the .wall at the lower end of the slot 32'coopera-ting with the bar 31 on the upward movement of the link, thus always returning the heads 6 to their extreme upper positions.

It is-desirable to reset the picking devices or magnets 7 in the heads after each sheet has been removed therefrom and before the magnets engage another sheet and with this end in view, resetting "means is employed. This resetting means, in this instance, embodies a number of resetting projections 35 projecting downwardly from the under side of each guide bracket 20 and adapted to pass through openings 36 in the top of the adjacent head 6, so as to engage with the upper portions of the magnets 7 and return the magnets to their normal po-. sitions on the head, the magnets passing out of engagement with the resetting means as J ping means. is in the form of a plurality of magnets 37 permanent or otherwise of horse shoe form depending from the bracket, arm 20 on opposite sides-of the line of movement of each lifting head 6, the lower portions of the pole pieces of the magnets 37 depending below the lower portions 4 of the magnets 7 when the latter have been carried to their uppermostpositions, so that as the lifting magnets 7 approach their uppermost position or position most remote from the sheets 1, the sheet supported by the lifting magnets is brought in contact with the stripping magnets 37 which strip the sheet from the magnets 7 and sustain such sheet until the latter is removed therefrom.

For transferring the sheet from the stripping means 37 to the receiver 5 any suitable means may be employed. In this instance, a transfer means in the form of two pushers 38 is arranged to engage the outer edge of a sheet 1 held by the stripping magnets 37 and push such sheet into the receiver 5 and off the magnets '37.. These pushers, in this instance, are carried by. rods 39 which are guided on the receiver 5.' 0 'eration of these pushersmay be efi'ecte in any suitable manner.

In-this instance, a 1

shaft on which the gear.22 is mounted has a cam 41 which cooperates with a roller 42 on one arm of a bell crank lever 43, the latter being pivoted on a shaft 29 and having its other arm, through a link 44, connected to an arm 45 on a rocking shaft 50, said rocking shaft having two arms 51 thereon connected by links 52 tocollars 53 adjustably secured to the rods 39 of the two pushers. A spring 54 is anchored at one end to the arm 45 and to its other end to the frame of the machine and serves normally to move the pushers in the direction opposite that which they are moved by the cam 41.

In the operation of the illustrated form of the invention, the sheets 1 are arranged on the support 2-in a stack. The picking heads 6 move toward the uppermost sheet" of the stack and the magnets thereof cooperate simultaneously with the sheet, adjusting on the heads automatically so that proper engagement between their engaging faces and the sheet is secured. The lines of force from these magnets are such that they pass mainly through the uppermost sheet and when the heads 6 move upwardly only such sheet is lifted from the stack. The sheet is carried upwardly until it engages the stripping magnets 37 which hold the sheet and permit the heads to continue their upward movement until the magnets 7 are re-set by the re-setting means 35 which return the magnets to their normal positions on the head 6. After the sheet has been released from the lifting magnets, and before the latter can again engage said sheet, the pushers 38 operate to shift the sheet off. the stripping magnets 37 and into the receiveri 5 from which it is moved in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a magnet of novel construction, so designed that eifective lifting lines of force thereof are confined to the sheet to be lifted, so that sheets next to such sheet will not beatfected by the magnet. This result is secured by providing pole pieces of such dimensions and spaced apart by a gap of such a size that the lines of force between the pole pieces pass mainly through the sheet to be lifted and not,

.through the adjacent sheet with such strength that the latter will be affected. It is preferred to use-the magnet with a numberof other magnets of similar construction supported in such a manner to each other that relative movement between them may take place in order that they may engage simultaneously an uneven surface. The head which carries the gang of magnets or picking devices is also mounted so that it may rock to permit the gang as a whole to be accommodated to an inclined surface. There is also employed in connection with a picking means, stripping means which strips the sheet from the picking means and sustains such sheet for transfer to another position. The stripping means employs magnets which are situated on opposite sides of the field of movement of the picking means so that the latter carry the sheet to the stripping magnets. It has been found that the lines of force of the lifting magnets are so concentrated that the shifting of the sheets edgewise thereon will scratch the sheets. Furthermore owing to the small engaging faces of-the lifting magnets the edge shifting of the sheets will soon wear them out.. The strength of the stripping mag nets may be greater than that of the lifting magnets, yet their wide surfaces do not scratch the sheets. Means is provided for resetting the lifting or picking magnets in the head after the sheet has been stripped therefrom, and means is also provided which transfers the sheet from the stripping magnets to the receiver, this means being operated in timed relation to the picking means so asto operate after the latter has carried the sheet to the stripping magnets.

It is further apparent that there has been provided a new method of separating by an electromagnet, one at a time, metallic sheets lying in abutment.

'VVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A picking means for separating, one at a time, metallic sheets lying in abutment embodying a magnet having its poles formed with engaging faces elongated in one direction and of such a width in the direction at right angles to the first named direction and so spaced apart as to produce lifting lines of force whose strength beyond the engaging faces are not sufiicient to affect a second sheet. I

2. A picking means for separating one at a time, metallic sheets lying in abutment, embodying a plurality of relatively movable magnets, each having its effective lines offorce confined to the sheet to be separated from the others, and means for supporting said magnets for relative movement to permit them to adapt themselves to inequalities in the surface of a sheet to be lifted thereby.

3. A picking means for separating, one at a time, metallic sheets lying in abutment embodying a magnet having pole pieces formed with elongated parallel sheet engag- 5. A picking means for separating, one at a time, metallic sheets lying in abutment em-.

bodying a head, a plurality of chambers,

, magnets movably mounted in said chambers,

a magnets.

and means for're-storing said magnets to their normal positions 1n the chambers after a sheet has been removed therefrom.

6. A picking means for separating, one at a time, metal sheets lying in abutment embodying a head having chambers therein, magnets relatively movable in said chambers, each of said magnets having its pole pieces formed with parallel elongated ehgaging faces and being mounted to rock transveisely of said faces. 5

7. A picking means for separating, one at a time, metal sheets lying in abutment embodying a head having chambers therein,

- magnets movably mounted in said chambers,

and friction producing means acting on said 8. A picking means for separating, one at a time, sheets lying 1n abutment embodying a head, a support for the head permitting the rocking of the latter 1n any d1rect1on,and

plurality of devices carried by said head for cooperating simultaneously with a sheet at different polnts.

.9. A picking means for separating, one at a time, sheets lying in abutment embodying a head, a support for the head permitting the rocking of the latter in'any direction, and a plurality of devices carried by said head for cooperating simultaneously with a sheet at dilferentpoints, said devices being relatively movable.

10. A picking means for separating, onesheet at different points, said devices being mounted to rock on the head.

'12. A picking-means for separating, one

at a time, sheets lying in abutment, embody-.

ing a head, a support for the head permitting the rocking of the latter in any direction,

head, and means for ,re-setting said devices tonormal positions after the sheet has been removed from the device.

13. The combination with a suitable means for sustaining the sheets, of a picking head movable toward and from the sheets and having movable devices thereon for engaging the sheet, stripping means for stripping the sheets from said devices, and means for re-set-ting said devices on the head after a sheet has been stripped from the devices.

14. The combination with a suitable means for supporting metallic sheets, of a picking means movable toward and from the sheets and having a plurality of relatively movable magnets for engaging and retaining the sheets, stripping magnets to which the sheets are moved by the picking means, and means for re-setting the picking magnets after the sheet has been stripped therefrom.

15. The combination with a suitable means for holding metallic sheets, a receiver, and a picking magnet movable towardand from the sheets, of stripping magnets arranged on opposite sides of the path of movement of the picking ,magnet and adapted to strip the sheet from the picking magnet after the latter moves away from the sheets, and transfer means for movin the sheets from the stripping magnets to t e receiver.

16. The combination with a" suitable means for sustaining metallic sheets and a receiver, of a picking magnet movable toward and from the metallic sheets on the support, a stripping magnet to which the sheet is carried bythe pickingl magnet, and a pusherarranged to move t e sheets from the stripping magnet to the receiver.

EDWARD s. SAVAGE. 

